Swimming garment and life preserver



Oct. 15, 1929-. L. WRIGHT I SWIMMING GARMENT AND LIFE PRESERVER Filed March "1928 INV35T% Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES LAWRENCE n. WRIGHT, or PITTSBURGH, rnnnsYLvamA SWIMMING GARMENT ANnf I FE PIKE-SERVER Application filed March 1,

My invention relates to swimming garments, such as bathing suits, and more particularly to bathing trunks which possess buoyancy that will assist in supporting the user in the water.

One object of my invention is to provide a garment of the class described, which is less cumbersome than those heretofore employed and which imposes a minimum of hindrance of movement to the body of the wearer.

Another object of my invention is to provide a swimming garment having a buoyant portion disposed so as to more advantageously support the body of the user.

Still another object of my invention is to simplify and improve generally upon devices of the character referred to.

Some of the forms which my invention may take are shown in the accompanying 2o drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevational view of swimming trunks embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof; Fig. 3 is a View showing the buoyant portion of the garment separated fromthe remainder thereof; Fig. 4 is aview taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1; Fig. 5

is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified form of buoyant device; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a portion of a garment so constructed according to Fig. 5, and Fig. 7

shows still another modification of the buoyant device.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, I show swimming trunks having a buoyant portion 8 that when expanded is of the form shown in Fig. 3. This buoyant section of the garment is preferably composed of two sheets 9 and 10 of rubber that are held against relative spreading upon inflation-of the section, by strips 11 that may be of any suitable material and which are :vulcanized or otherwise secured to the walls 9 and 10, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4. I preferably depress the walls 9 and 10 somewhat so that the device will have a tufted, and hence more pleasing appearance, and also to reduce the tendency toward bulging when the section is inflated. The strips 11 are narrow so that air may freely flow to all portions of the inflatable section when introduced therein through a nip- 1928.. seri l No. 258,189.

ples12 or the like, such nipple being provided withi-an' outwardly-opening check valve to retain the'air in the section.

The-upper portion of the section 8 isof belt-like form, .but is normally disposed slightly below the waist line of the wearer, so that there will be a minimum of hindrance to bendingof the we arers body The section is provided with depending portions 13 and 14 that lie preferably against the outer sides of the legs or thighs of the wearer where there will be little or no hindrance by them to movements of the wearers body, but it will be understood that these portions may be positioned at other points, and may be omitted entirelyif suflicient buoyancy is provided in the belt portion.-- A cloth covering 15' is oemente'd or otherwise secured to the sheet or wall 10, so that such covering can be worn next to the body and thus avoid direct contact of the rubber with the users body. It will, of course, be understood that waterproof material other than rubber can be substituted for the sheets 9 and 10.

The body portion 16 of the garment is secured to the edges of the buoyant unit of Fig 8, by sewing or otherwise, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 4, and is provided with belt loops 17 which permit the use of a belt for attachment to the wearer. It will be understood that the shirt of a bathing suit may be worn with the trunks either as a separate garment or secured to the upper edge of the trunks in any suitable manner.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, I show an inflatable section 18 of a garment that is composed of sheets 19 and 20 of rubber or the like that maybe glued or vulcanized together at points 21 to prevent the walls from becoming unduly distended when inflated. In this case as in the structure of Fig. 1, cloth to complete the garment is sewed to the edges of the buoyant section.

In Fig. 7, I show a device wherein the sheets of the inflatable section are secured together by rivets 22 that are made sufliciently snug fitting with respect to the sheets as to prevent leakage of air.

It will be understood that various other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as'defined in the accompanying claims. For instance, stitching or other means may be employed for confining the walls of the infiatable section against excessive expansion, and the inflatable section need not necessarily be sewed or otherwise secured toa garment to constitute a part thereof, but may be worn as a separate unit.

I claim as my invention 1. A swimming garment comprising trunks provided with a buoyant device having a beltlike portion disposed adjacent to the waistline thereof and depending, portions posi: V

tioned to lie against the outer sides of the legs of the wearer, intermediate the waist line and the knee, means permitting inflation of said device, and means at various points throughout the body of said device for limiting expansion thereof beyondpredetermined limits. I

2. A swimming garment comprising an inflatable device composed of two sheets of water-proof material secured together at their edges to confine air, and a cloth-like body member having cut-out portions Whose edges are secured to the edges of said device, the said device and the cloth-like member being of a form that they will together serve as trunks.

In testimony whereof I, the said LAWRENCE L. lVRIGHT, have hereunto set my hand.

LAWRENCE L. WRIGHT. 

